An electrical connector having a pitch conversion can be used in cases where a plurality of electronic components are connected to each other, electronic components are connected to a circuit board, circuit boards are connected to each other, or a mating connector having contacts that are connected to a plurality of electrical wires and a circuit board are connected to each other.
FIG. 8 shows an example of a conventional electrical connector 101 (see JP 6-333652A) that is used when a plurality of electronic components are connected to each other. As shown in FIG. 8, the electrical connector 101 includes a wiring board 102. An insulating frame 103 is provided around the wiring board 102. A plurality of first contacts 104 are provided side by side at a specified pitch on a portion of the insulating frame 103 corresponding to a first side of the wiring board 102. A plurality of second contacts 105 are provided side by side at a pitch that is smaller than the specified pitch described above on a portion of the insulating frame 103 corresponding to a side opposite from the first side of the wiring board 102.
A plurality of conductor lines 110 connect the first contacts 104 with the second contacts 105 and are formed on the wiring board 102. External terminals 107 of a first electronic component 106 are inserted into the first contacts 104, and external terminals 109 of a second electronic component 108 are inserted into the second contacts 105 to connect the first and second electronic components 106, 108 via the electrical connector 101.
The electrical connector 101 can be applied to a wide variety of electronic components by varying the pattern of the conductor lines 110 formed on the wiring board 102 and varying the pitch of the first and second contacts 104, 105. Therefore, there is no need to manufacture multiple contact molds according to pitch conversion modes. Thus, the cost of manufacturing the electrical connector 101 can be reduced. However, in the electrical connector 101, it is necessary to provide the wiring board 102 for the purpose of pitch conversion, which adds to the cost of the electrical connector 101. Furthermore, in addition to having to attach the first and second contacts 104, 105 to the insulating frame 103, the wiring board 102 must also be mounted within the insulating frame 103. As a result, the electrical connector 101 is difficult to assemble.
FIG. 7 shows another example of a conventional electrical connector 201 (see JP 6-333652A) that has a pitch conversion. As shown in FIG. 7, the electrical connector 201 includes a plurality of first through fifth contacts 203a, 203b, 203c, 203d, 203e having a large variety of shapes. The first through fifth contacts 203a, 203b, 203c, 203d, 203e are press-fitted to an insulating housing 202. A first electronic component 204 has external terminals 205 extending therefrom. A second electronic component 206 has external terminals 207 extending therefrom
In the electrical connector 201, the first through fifth contacts 203a, 203b, 203c, 203d, 203e each have a different shape. Therefore, in order to perform pitch conversion, different molds need to be manufactured depending upon the number of the external terminals 205, 207. Moreover, when the first through fifth contacts 203a, 203b, 203c, 203d, 203e are press-fitted to the housing 202, the first through fifth contacts 203a, 203b, 203c, 203d, 203e need to be press-fitted from a side of the first electronic component 204 or from the opposite side thereof. However, the amount of offset in each of the first through fifth contacts 203a, 203b, 203c, 203d, 203e is different. The amount of bending generated in each of the first through fifth contacts 203a, 203b, 203c, 203d, 203e during press-fitting therefore is different, which causes problems during press-fitting to the housing 202.